Logitech will intentionally brick Harmony Link devices next year

[Greg S]

In an email sent to Logitech customers and confirmed via Logitech's phone support, owners of Harmony Link devices will be in for an unpleasant surprise come March 16, 2018. Logitech is going to intentionally brick the Harmony Link that allows users to control home theater and other sound equipment using an app. The device was released in 2011.

Update: Logitech is offering Harmony Link owners a free Hub following backlash

This certainly raises a lot of red flags considering that paying customers who purchased hardware will no longer be able to use their devices. Upon purchase, users were not trying to buy a subscription or other service that requires ongoing payments. Logitech is offering up to a 35% discount off of a new Harmony Hub, but this seems like a rather poor way to try and get return customers.

The full text of the email sent to Logitech customers can be found below.

Dear [Customer Name],

This is an important update regarding your Harmony Link. On March 16, 2018, Logitech will discontinue service and support for Harmony Link. Your Harmony Link will no longer function after this date.

Although your Harmony Link is no longer under warranty, we are offering you a 35% discount on a new Harmony Hub. Harmony Hub offers app-based remote control features similar to Harmony Link, but with the added benefit of the ability to control many popular connected home devices. To receive your discounted Harmony Hub, go to logitech.com, add Harmony Hub to your cart, and use your personal one-time promotional code [promo code] during checkout.

Thank you for being a Logitech customer and we hope you will take advantage of this offer to upgrade to a new Harmony Hub.If you have any questions or concerns about Harmony Link, please email the Harmony customer care team.

Regards,

Logitech Harmony Team

For now, Logitech customers are given no choice but to hand over more cash for new hardware if they want to continue using their Harmony Link hub and apps. From a consumer standpoint, this is absolutely unacceptable. To be clear, this refers to Harmony Link with model number 915-000144 and was originally released on October 1, 2011. The MSRP was $99.99 for the Harmony Link although is no longer being sold at this time.

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https://www.techspot.com/news/71776-logitech-intentionally-brick-harmony-link-devices-next-year.html

 

[mrtraver]

Are they seriously so clueless that they think ANY customer screwed over by this will ever buy ANY Logitech product again? I've always loved Logitech mice, but I will never purchase another one, or any other product of theirs.

 

[Evernessince]

I can imagine this is easily going to turn into a lawsuit. You can't just sell people a working product and then at an arbitrary date decide they can no longer use it without giving them a refund. Absolutely ridiculous.

 

[BSim500]

If I were such a customer, deliberate bricking of a perfectly functional product would probably convince me to pick another solution that wasn't Logitech rather than buy a new hub just to retain basic functionality. Logitech do great mice but I've always found their media centre style remotes laughably overpriced and convoluted tablet / phone Wi-FI service based HTPC "remotes" generally pointless vs simple direct control by a tactile device.

Best alternative vs Logitech's $100-$300 "solutions" I ever bought for my HTPC was a $20 FLIRC (use ANY IR remote) + reusing a spare Panasonic DVD player IR remote. Given that many physical IR remotes often have intelligent tactile features like, eg, a raised dot on the play / pause button or centre number 5 in a 0-9 keypad, and easily "feelable" cursor + OK keys, after a couple of weeks once you're used to the layout, you're twice as fast without even looking at it vs "picks-up-tablet-with-both-hands-waits-for-screen-to-come-on-tap-tap-tap-wait-did-it-pick-up-that-last-one-nope-TAP-oops-now-I've-gone-past-it-now-how-do-I-turn-the-screen-off-again" on a tablet / smartphone which already looks absurd enough even before trying to watch a dark film in a dark room at night without being blinded by a solar flare in your hands every time you nudge the volume...

 

[Evernessince]

If I were such a customer, deliberate bricking of a perfectly functional product would probably convince me to pick another solution that wasn't Logitech rather than buy a new hub just to retain basic functionality. Logitech do great mice but I've always found their media centre style remotes laughably overpriced and convoluted tablet / phone Wi-FI service based HTPC "remotes" generally pointless vs simple direct control by a tactile device.

Best alternative vs Logitech's $100-$300 "solutions" I ever bought for my HTPC was a $20 FLIRC (use ANY IR remote) + reusing a spare Panasonic DVD player IR remote. Given that many physical IR remotes often have intelligent tactile features like, eg, a raised dot on the play / pause button or centre number 5 in a 0-9 keypad, and easily "feelable" cursor + OK keys, after a couple of weeks once you're used to the layout, you're twice as fast without even looking at it vs "picks-up-tablet-with-both-hands-waits-for-screen-to-come-on-tap-tap-tap-wait-did-it-pick-up-that-last-one-nope-TAP-oops-now-I've-gone-past-it-now-how-do-I-turn-the-screen-off-again" on a tablet / smartphone which already looks absurd enough even before trying to watch a dark film in a dark room at night without being blinded by a solar flare in your hands every time you nudge the volume...

There are so many remotes on the market for PCs as well. Heck, you could even buy yourself a tablet for the price of the Logitech remotes and give yourself a billion apps to work with your PC.

 

[Vrmithrax]

I can imagine this is easily going to turn into a lawsuit. You can't just sell people a working product and then at an arbitrary date decide they can no longer use it without giving them a refund. Absolutely ridiculous.

I'm with you... I smell a class action lawsuit brewing.

It's one thing to drop all support of your product. It's quite another to actively and purposely destroy the functionality of personal property in use, just to force people to buy your new products. Providing a discount "even though your product is out of warranty" is pretty much just condescendingly wadding up a few small bills and throwing them on the ground next to your victims as they writhe around after you kicked them in the groin.

 

[matrix86]

As an owner of a Harmony Hub, the app looks like it was designed by a 4th grader. I had the hardest time programming stuff and I still don't have it all figured out completely. It's also slow a good amount of time.

 

[VitalyT]

This is a hoax. There is no way Logitech would ever try something this dumb, as it would break every consumer law there is, making them seriously liable.

 

[sac39507]

I have a logitech harmony remote. I've used the "help" button more than the actual remote buttons. Their products are crap.

 

[torchyear]

I have a logitech harmony remote. I've used the "help" button more than the actual remote buttons. Their products are crap.

Yup. We have two Harmony remotes, and neither of them have ever worked properly without pressing Help all the time.

 

[cliffordcooley]

As an owner of a Harmony Hub, the app looks like it was designed by a 4th grader. I had the hardest time programming stuff and I still don't have it all figured out completely. It's also slow a good amount of time.

I have a logitech harmony remote. I've used the "help" button more than the actual remote buttons. Their products are crap.

Yup. We have two Harmony remotes, and neither of them have ever worked properly without pressing Help all the time.

From the sound of it, Harmony owners will not care if their devices quit working. I'm now seeing this as, Logitech closing the door on an embarrassment that few people still use (or better yet try to use).

 

[psycros]

As an owner of a Harmony Hub, the app looks like it was designed by a 4th grader. I had the hardest time programming stuff and I still don't have it all figured out completely. It's also slow a good amount of time.

I have a logitech harmony remote. I've used the "help" button more than the actual remote buttons. Their products are crap.

Yup. We have two Harmony remotes, and neither of them have ever worked properly without pressing Help all the time.

From the sound of it, Harmony owners will not care if their devices quit working. I'm now seeing this as, Logitech closing the door on an embarrassment that few people still use (or better yet try to use).

That may well be, but this is hardly the way to go about it. The smart move would have been to simply offer existing customers a cheap upgrade WITHOUT illegally disabling a product they already paid for. Logitech has been on a downhill trajectory since they decided to become an Apple-esque vender of expensive fashion accessories that happen to also be electronics. Its a shame..for nearly two decades they were one of the top peripheral makers, but like so many companies these days Logitech is a wannabe.

 

[Sir Alex Ice]

Class A lawsuit coming Logitech's way. Hope they get a huge fine for this **** behavior.

 

[cliffordcooley]

That may well be, but this is hardly the way to go about it.

I'm inclined to disagree. From the sound of it, they are shutting down a service for which Harmony is dependent.

On March 16, 2018, Logitech will discontinue service and support for Harmony Link. Your Harmony Link will no longer function after this date.

That sounds very similar to how game servers are shut down. Microsoft kills services every year. Hardware being dependent on a service doesn't change anything.

Heck what do you think happens when Cell Signals are dropped and older phones no longer function as phones. That's precisely why I quit using a 2G phone. I was forced into upgrading.

 

[Etatheta]

Your article is incorrect. The harmony link is still for sale on amazon and many discount retails are selling it all over the internet

 

[fadingfool]

I have had two harmony remotes and both have functioned perfectly (the first is still functional but the buttons have worn down from use and require a bit of prodding) . The activity based programming is perfect for my AV set up and I would have purchased another Logitech harmony remote when the current one dies without question. After this news (even if it is for only a related product) will make me look else where - deliberately atrophying working devices is not something I can condone.

 

[fadingfool]

That may well be, but this is hardly the way to go about it.

I'm inclined to disagree. From the sound of it, they are shutting down a service for which Harmony is dependent.

On March 16, 2018, Logitech will discontinue service and support for Harmony Link. Your Harmony Link will no longer function after this date.

That sounds very similar to how game servers are shut down. Microsoft kills services every year. Hardware being dependent on a service doesn't change anything.

Heck what do you think happens when Cell Signals are dropped and older phones no longer function as phones. That's precisely why I quit using a 2G phone. I was forced into upgrading.

Slightly different as your 2G phone manufacturer was not responsible for the 2G network. Logitech provided the equipment and the servers required for its functionality (though not the internet on which it relies on). If the hub was only IP4 compliant and the shift to IP6 bricked the equipment (if we ever move to IP6 and out of Logitech's hands) then you would not expect Logitech to replace the equipment. In this case though Logitech will be providing an "update" that kills the hub - not sure this is legal in the EU even if it is out of warranty.

 

[senketsu]

All I have is this article to go on, but it says Logitech is going "discontinue service and support" for a product. How is this different than many products? This happens to many products.

 

[Capaill]

Your article is incorrect. The harmony link is still for sale on amazon and many discount retails are selling it all over the internet

Well, Amazon does say it is discontinued by the manufacturer and offers links to other retailers selling it New and Used. I imagine there will still be a few selling it after it gets bricked.

 

[cliffordcooley]

Slightly different as your 2G phone manufacturer was not responsible for the 2G network.

So you are saying this would have been fine if Logitech had not been the one supplying service. And that the slight difference is enough to make Logitech continue service indefinitely. Tell that to Microsoft next time they drop support for an Operating system. After all it is their product, and by your words they should continue support indefinitely.

 

[Vrmithrax]

So you are saying this would have been fine if Logitech had not been the one supplying service. And that the slight difference is enough to make Logitech continue service indefinitely. Tell that to Microsoft next time they drop support for an Operating system. After all it is their product, and by your words they should continue support indefinitely.

That's a different situation. A Microsoft scenario analogy would be more like Microsoft dropping support for XP and purposely bricking every computer running XP, and telling all of their users that their only option is to buy a new computer with Win10 on it, but here's a coupon for your troubles. But I get your basic point, and it makes sense the more I read about the reasoning behind Logitech's move. If it's a basic service that Logitech is hosting and it's using up resources, bandwidth, etc. then they really don't necessarily have an obligation to maintain that service indefinitely. Just as 2G cell service providers did not have to continue to support the 2G infrastructure when 3G and up were introduced. It's crappy, and there's probably better ways to handle it with respects to PR and such, but sometimes technology moves on and you have to leave stuff behind.

I rather think that the wording of the reporting is responsible for some of the misinterpretation. I get the feeling that Logitech isn't going to reach out and brick every harmony link system out there physically... It's just that the service those units rely on will suddenly no longer be there, so they will be effectively worthless. It's more of a passive bricking, really. Or maybe I'm misunderstanding the other sources I've been seeing on this same story. If it really is just the service stoppage, maybe somebody will come up with an open source alternative.

 

[JamesSWD]

Sure hope Logitech doesn't decide to build cars someday.

 

[cliffordcooley]

That's a different situation. A Microsoft scenario analogy would be more like Microsoft dropping support for XP

While you may be correct on the analogy, that's not the point I'm trying to make. If the Harmony is reliant on a service, then it is technically the service people bought into. And that part of the analogy is spot on with Microsoft.

 

[sac39507]

Does anyone know if there is an alternative to harmony remotes that actually work? I love movies, Kodi, and my private collection. Just need something to control those things. I'm too lazy to Google it. Plus I prefer first hand experience than someone's answer from their own Googling.

 

[Evernessince]

Does anyone know if there is an alternative to harmony remotes that actually work? I love movies, Kodi, and my private collection. Just need something to control those things. I'm too lazy to Google it. Plus I prefer first hand experience than someone's answer from their own Googling.

Do you actually want a touch based remote or a regular remote? If you just want a touch based remote, there are plenty of app that will let your phones acts as a remote for your PC.